, 1887-04-07
The Steamer Spokane Capsizcs
on COeur d'Alcne River.
Five Passengers are Swept to
Their Deaths.
Particulars of the Accident from
an Eyewitness.

One OF the most terrible accidents
over known in this part of the coun-
try occurred Monday afternoon on the
Occur d'Alene river, between the Mis-
sion and Kingston, by which five or
six men met II watery grave. The
first news Of the disaster was received
by the REVIEW about II o'clock yes
terday morning, and soon the meagre
report was scattered broadcast by cX-
tras that were Immediately issued.
The news was doubly shocking us one
oi the victims was J. G. Hanna, an old
and highly respected resident of this
city, while several others of the lost
are well known here. The accident
was the upsetting OF the steamer
Spokane" belonging to Nelson Mar
tin of this place, and the drowning of
five or six passengers, including j. G.
Hanna of Spokane Falls, n. j. Hig-
gins of Bangor, Me-, Mr.. Pike of Port
land, Ed. jerome of Lewiston, Idaho,
and two or more unknown men, 1t
was the first trip Of the new steamer
Mr.. Martin. She left Kingston Mon
day afternoon for Occur d'Alenc, and
was running ut II high rate of speed
when she struck drift on
an island in the river
q short distance below Kingston,
and swinging of capsized. The pas
Sengers were thrown into the river and
most of them managed to escape, and
although every effort was made to save
those in the water by the men first
reaching shore, five or six sunk from
sight. Mr.. Geo. Leghorn, manager Of
l.. X. G. Smiths tobacco house of this
city, was on board homeward bound.
As soon as the boat struck he leaped
upon the drift and was the only one of
the passengers who escaped without
getting wet. lie gives the following
particulars:
STATEMENT OF AN EYEWITNESS.
The steamer Spokane left Kingston
for Coeur d'Alene Mt about ten min
utes to ! O'Clock Monday afternoon
having on board some nineteen or
twenty-one passengers and no freight
We had left Kingston but about ten
minutes when the boat reached a
point where the stream is divided in
two by an island formed mostly Of
drift wood. As the boat neared this
point | remarked to those sitting near
that it looked as though the boat
would strike the logs. She was run
ming very fast, and in moment she
touched the log and jumped with
three companions and landed safely.
The boat swung off and in another
moment struck log below and cap
sized, pitching all on board into the
middle of the river. Pike caught onto
Il log n short distance away and hung
for some time, but let go and sunk
from sight. Some of the passengers
caught hold of the floating boat and
were carried to the west bank, when
several got ashore, while others tloated
down to lower drift and managed to
escape. | saw Mr.. Hanna come up
the boat. Mr.. Higgins never came to
the surface. Not Il word was spoken
and / did not hear man cry out.
We had nothing to work with and it
was impossible to render any assist
ance. had revolver and loaded and
fired it II number of times, which at
tracted the people OF Kingston, and a
number of boats arrived and rendered
all the aid in their power. 1t was a
horrible spectacle, especially as my
self and companions were unable to
render the struggling people any as.
sistance. The survivors are now all
right, excepting Mr.. Wilson, who is
sick from the effects, at Kingston, and
Mr.. Green, who is laid up at CoeuI
dAlene City.
THE BOAT.
The boat which caused the terrible
loss of life is small concern Of only Il
few hundred tons burden and in size
but twenty-five or thirty feet in length
1t has been in use on lake Pen d. Oriellt
for the past two or three years and was
used there as an excursion steamer
During the winter Mr.. Nelson Martin
formerly proprietor Of the Spokane
Falls and Occur d Alene stage line
and resident of this city, decided
upon putting an opposition boat or
the lake and river route, and so pur
chased the boat in question ant
named it the "Spokane." He but re
Gently launched the craft on the LAKE
and this was the first trip. Usual,
the steamers only run to the Mission
some thirty miles from the lake NJ
the Occur d. Alene river. This por
ton of the river is so deep and so nea
level that it has no perceptable cur
rent. During high water, as is tn,
case Mt present, small boats can ru,
clear to Kingston, some twelve mile
or more further up tho stream.